1. Field
The invention is in the field of reverse flow control valves, pressure reducing valves, pressure relief valves, and shut off valves, to control flow of fluid through a pipe line.
2. State of the Art
The invented valve is in the same art unit as the inventor's valves Patented under U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,248, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,675 B1. Compared to conventional valves in the field, the new invented valve is designed to handle much wider ranges of fluid pressures and temperatures. The new invented valve also eliminates the use of the receptacles for the diaphragms used in the above mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,248. Unlike said U.S. Pat. No. 6,834,675 B1, the new invented valve provides a common geometry for a valve cage which can accommodate more than one type of valve components, which, instead of being ratable, are fixed in their locations in the valve body, to modify the valve such as to provide the desired functionality. The valve components can be replaced while the cage remains in the pipe line. The inner control components of the valve can be used in combinations, taken two components at a time or only one component at a time, to produce a distinct valve having distinct flow characteristics. From here on a valve component will be understood as being a distinct inner valve component which can block or control the fluid flow inside the outer valve body (the valve cage), singularly or in combination with another valve component.
Most valves currently in use are produced as single units, where each valve is designed to perform a limited and specific function. With the invented valve, the manufacturing cost of the valve and valves can be reduced by using a common valve cage (which is the outer valve body) which can be used to produce more than one type of valve or a combination of valves.
The object of the invention is to provide valve components, which can be used in combination inside the common valve cage, to produce or to modify a valve to have distinct flow characteristics and to achieve production cost advantages. When the same manufacturing method is used to produce the valve cage for different valve components, the cost to produce the valves is minimized.